THE DRUG PROBLEM AND ORGANIZED CRIME, ILLICIT FINANCIAL FLOWS, CORRUPTION AND TERRORISM WORLD DRUG REPORT 2017 5 This booklet constitutes the fifth part of the World Drug Report 2017. © United Nations, May 2017. All rights reserved worldwide. ISBN: 978-92-1-148297-3 eISBN: 978-92-1-060628-8 United Nations publication, Sales No. E.17.XI.11 This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part and in any form for educational or non-profit purposes without special permission from the copyright holder, provided acknowledgement of the source is made. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) would appreciate receiving a copy of any publication that uses this publication as a source. Suggested citation: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, World Drug Report 2017 (ISBN: 978-92-1-148291-1, eISBN: 978-92-1-060623-3, United Nations publication, Sales No. E.17.XI.6). No use of this publication may be made for resale or any other commercial purpose whatsoever without prior permission in writing from UNODC. Applications for such permission, with a statement of purpose and intent of the reproduction, should be addressed to the Research and Trend Analysis Branch of UNODC. DISCLAIMER This booklet has not been formally edited. The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of UNODC or contributory organizations, nor does it imply any endorsement. Comments on the report are welcome and can be sent to: Division for Policy Analysis and Public Affairs United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime PO Box 500 1400 Vienna Austria Tel: (+43) 1 26060 0 Fax: (+43) 1 26060 5827 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.unodc.org/wdr2017 PREFACE I am proud to say that this year we are marking 20 As the World Drug Report 2017 clearly shows, there years of the World Drug Report. is much work to be done to confront the many harms inflicted by drugs, to health, development, Over the past two decades, the United Nations peace and security, in all regions of the world. Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has been at the forefront of global research into complex areas Globally, there are an estimated minimum of of drug use and supply, supporting international 190,000 — in most cases avoidable — premature cooperation and informing policy choices with the deaths from drugs, the majority attributable to the latest estimates, information on trends and use of opioids. analysis. The terrible impact of drug use on health can also This year we are launching a new format, with the be seen in related cases of HIV, hepatitis and report available as five separate booklets: the execu- tuberculosis. tive summary, together with the report’s conclusions Much more needs to be done to ensure affordable and policy implications; a global overview of drug access to effective scientific evidence-based preven- use and supply; a market analysis of plant-based tion, treatment and care for the people who drugs; a market analysis of synthetic drugs; and a desperately need them, including those in prison thematic booklet on the links between drugs and settings. As just one example, this year’s report high- organized crime, illicit financial flows, corruption lights the need to accelerate accessibility to the and terrorism. We have done this in response to treatment of hepatitis C, a disease whose negative readers’ needs and to improve user-friendliness, health impact on people who use drugs is far greater while maintaining the rigorous standards expected than that of HIV/AIDS. from the Office’s flagship publication. Recent attention has focused on the threats posed The 2017 report comes at a time when the interna- by methamphetamine and new psychoactive sub- tional community has acted decisively to achieve stances (NPS). However, as the report shows, the consensus on a way forward for joint action. manufacture of both cocaine and opioids is increas- ing. These drugs remain serious concerns, and the The outcome document unanimously adopted at opioid crisis shows little sign of stopping. last year’s special session of the General Assembly on the world drug problem contains more than 100 The World Drug Report 2017 further looks at the concrete recommendations for implementing bal- links with other forms of organized crime, illicit anced, comprehensive and integrated approaches to financial flows, corruption and terrorism. It draws effectively addressing and countering the world drug on the best available evidence and, most of all, high- problem. lights the fact that much more research needs to be carried out in these areas. Moreover, at its sixtieth session, in March 2017, the Commission on Narcotic Drugs adopted resolution Corruption is the great enabler of organized crime, 60/1, reinforcing commitment to implementing the and opportunities for corruption exist at every stage outcome document and charting a course to the of the drug supply chain. However, too little is 2019 target date of the 2009 Political Declaration known about how different types of corruption and Plan of Action on the world drug problem, as interact with drug markets. well as strengthening action towards the Plan of The outcome document of the special session of the Action’s agreed goals and targets. General Assembly on the world drug problem and 3 2017 Security Council resolutions express concern about As the special session of the General Assembly and terrorist groups profiting from drug trafficking, the recent session of the Commission on Narcotic REPORT REPORT among other forms of transnational organized crime. Drugs have shown, the international community is equipped to respond swiftly and decisively to global DRUG It is well established that there are terrorists and drug-related challenges. non-State armed groups profiting from the drug trade — by some estimates, up to 85 per cent of For example, in March, the Commission scheduled WORLD opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan is in terri- two precursors and an analogue to the scheduled tory under influence of the Taliban. drug fentanyl. This important step will make it harder for criminals to illicitly manufacture fentanyl However, evidence on the organized crime-terrorism and its analogues and, I hope, can help to stem the nexus remains patchy at best. Moreover, these links tragic increase in opioid overdoses in recent years. are not static. Relations between organized crime and terrorists groups are always evolving, much like However, there remains an enormous need for drug markets themselves. capacity-building and technical assistance, and fund- ing continues to fall far short of political As we have seen with the NPS market, drug use, commitment. Further resources are urgently needed supply, trafficking routes and the substances them- to help all Member States implement the recom- selves continue to shift and diversify at alarming mendations contained in the outcome document speed. of the special session of the General Assembly and Drugs continue to represent a major source of rev- achieve related targets under the Sustainable Devel- enue for organized crime networks, but business opment Goals. models are changing, with criminals exploiting new The many evolving drug challenges also highlight technologies, such as the darknet, that are altering the importance of prevention — science- and rights- the nature of the illicit drug trade and the types of based drug use prevention — but also prevention players involved, with looser, horizontal networks of crime, corruption, terrorism and violent extrem- and smaller groups becoming more significant. New ism, in line with commitments under the ways of delivering drugs further point to the need conventions and United Nations standards and to involve other sectors such as postal services in the norms. fight against drug trafficking. Finally, I ask all Governments to help us improve Clearly, countries must be able to act and react to the evidence base for these reports. Areas such as an ever-changing and formidable array of threats the links between drugs, terrorism and insurgency and problems. UNODC is fully engaged in strength- clearly touch upon sensitive intelligence, and there ening responses, working closely with our United are legitimate concerns about compromising sources, Nations partners and in line with the international collection and operations. But if we want to effec- drug control conventions, human rights instruments tively address drug challenges we need to strengthen and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, international cooperation and information-sharing which are themselves complementary and mutually to the extent possible, to close the gaps and ensure reinforcing. that joint action is targeted, effective and timely. Yury Fedotov Executive Director United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime 4 CONTENTS BOOKLET 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY — CONCLUSIONS AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS GLOBAL OVERVIEW OF DRUG DEMAND AND SUPPLY BOOKLET 2 Latest trends, cross-cutting issues MARKET ANALYSIS OF PLANT-BASED DRUGS BOOKLET 3 Opiates, cocaine, cannabis MARKET ANALYSIS OF SYNTHETIC DRUGS BOOKLET 4 Amphetamine-type stimulants, new psychoactive substances THE DRUG PROBLEM AND ORGANIZED CRIME, BOOKLET 5 ILLICIT FINANCIAL FLOWS, CORRUPTION AND TERRORISM PREFACE ........................................................................................................ 3 EXPLANATORY NOTES ................................................................................... 7 KEY FINDINGS................................................................................................ 9 INTRODUCTION